Door operation and control



Dec. 18, 1951 w. c. TURNER 2,578,909

DOOR OPERATION AND CONTROL Filed July 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q INVENTOR. [Mu/gm C. 7DeA/EE/ Q z n p Dec. 18, 1951 TURNER DOOR OPERATION AND CONTROL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 3, 1948 INVENTOR.

/ mm C? flEA/EE/ TTOEA/ef/ I Dec. 18, 1951 v w. c. TURNER 2,578,909

DOOR OPERATION AND CONTROL Filed July 3, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 III INVENTOR. mud/)7 6. 7/64/58 Patented Dec. 18, 1951 [TED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE DOOR=OPERATION AND CONTROL 'Wiiliam 'rCmTurner; Bahway, N. J., assign'or, by .mesneassignments, to National Pneumatic 00., Inc. Boston,.Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application duly 3, 1948,*Serial No. 36,990

.2 Claims. (Cl. 268.- ,50

This; invention relates-to icon-operation and control, and particularly to ya system permitting automatic utilization of a, normally inactive door perating 'instriumentality, in the event -.of [temporary absence {of power for .energization -of a secondwnormally active; 'instru-mentality.

--In the illustrated embodiment :of the invention, the-gnormallyactive rinstrrumentali-ty is a fluid motor-having a-piston assembly :movable in oppositewdirections alternately to 'swing- :a door actuating lever toleftand right, alternately, of a pivotal hearing point, and thenormally inactive instrumentality is -an-auXi-liary motor including compressible, coiled .spring adapted to makerautomatic operative connection .with said lever upon removal of fluid pressuredirom :a supply line :that is a common feeding agency for both said .fluid motor andsaid auxiliary .motor. It is to he understood, :however,that the illustrated embodiment -is -merely an :exemplification of thee-invention, and ,not :a definition of the limits thereof; there being many alternative structures and arrangements possible within the principles disclosed.

An object of the invention, therefore, istto provide a-lever for-operating adoor, to which lever two distinctoperating motors are .alternativel-y' connectable; the-word lever being employed in the broad.- .sense of @includingany force-transmitting .link, vgear, or equivalent 1' transmission train.

-.Another-- object is to provide, inv atdual motor systemiof the character indicated, novel interlocking means for automatically disassociating one of the motors from the door actuating .lever as-the other motor becomes-effective.

These ==and-other :objcctspf the invention will betbetter understood uponp -examination of the following description --of the :invention interms of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing two motors and a sliding :type of door operableby said motors; therintervening linkage and associated control :circuits, bothelectrical andpneumatic, being also shown;

Figs. '2 and 3 are sectioned views of the two motors, Fig. -2 showingthe spring motor in its inactive position and Fig. .3 showing the motor in a position it assumes when-active;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view gshowing a detail of the operating connections;

; Figs. 5 and -6 .;are-;plan views of the fluid: motor and dooractuating lever, showing also the automatically operable clutch mechanism; constituting the driving-connection from the iormer to drive the lever, and Fig. 6 showing theclutch disengaged; and

lTigfi'Z its a trans-verse viewofthe clutch assembly.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2,-and 3, the sliding door is shown "at H, in its closed position, the open position being indicated by the dash line E2. "The fluid motor iszshown at 13, l4, an'd I5, the numeral i3 designating "the main body "of the motor and the numerals "l4 and I5 designating cylinders extending from opposite sides thereof. The spring motorincludesa piston '16, s'lidable "in a cylinder 1?, and 'a piston rod l8 carrying a transverse dink 4-9 co-acting with a longitudinal link 2-6, the latter having pivotal connection at :22, -withya lever :2 3 Whose opposite ends are operativcly .connected'to motor 13 and door M, respectively. lT-he operative connection with 11001 :H takes. theoform of a roller 26 retainedfin"aichannelwplate 21 attached tothe rear vertical edge :of the door, while the operative connection-with-motor Fl 3 includes a clutch mechanism having a driving elemental (Figs. .5, 6, 7) and a driven :element 32, the latter being an integral part of a plate 33 bolted to lever 23, and driving element 3| being internallysplined to'slideaon splined shaft .34 which is journaled in the bearing elements 36, 31 (Figs. 5.-and .6.) of the. motor body 13, and carries thesector gear 36 5(Eig. 3) which mesheswith track 3'! of the piston assembly 38, M.

, The -novel-vmeans for inter-locking motors l3 and 4-], so thatone remains inactive when the other is effective, comprises a: pin-and-slot connection between links 49 and 2!, and also a pinand-rocker'connection between links 19 and 4|, the .latterhaving connection, at its opposite end, with a-bell crank 42 (Eigs. 5, .6, 7.) extending from clutch "yoke .43; yoke t3 being the agency for shifting-clutch element, 3-1! into driving. engagement :vvith clutch element 32, when the parts are; in the relationships indicated in Fig. 2, that is, the pin-t6 being held firmly against the rocker ii-by thepressure of the-fiuid actingnpon piston it, such fluid being admitted to .the cylinder 11 byway of gportdfi, to which port the fluid supply line 439 (Fig.- i) connects.

The j'fiuid supply lines 49; 5 I, 52, are ;shown .in Fig. 1 as being underthe-rcontrol Diva-31 351318153 which-'zis spring-biased to aufluidexhaustingposition dautzs'hiftable to-a fluid. feeding position-{the line 5t being thasource-zof pressure Siiuid) :upon flow of electric current ato vthe .solenoid ;56,-;the latter ibeing :.in,;a .zcircuitthatissnormally. connected to a current source 51 by way of a normally closed switch 58. A second valve 6| (Fig. 1) is spring-biased to a position establishing communication between supply line 52 and a connecting line 62 leading to port 63 (Fig. 3) at the right end of cylinder I of fluid motor I3. However, upon flow of current to solenoid 64, the valve 6| shifts to a position cutting off communication between lines 52 and 62, and connecting line 62 to the atmosphere, thus exhausting all fluid from cylinder I5. The pressure normally in line 5 I, on the other hand, is exerted against piston 38, as the line 5| connects with cylinder I4 by way of port 63 (Fig. 3).

In normal operation, a person desiring passage through the door-way closes switch 64 (Fig. 1) located at some convenient point, for example, behind the hand-grip 66 of the door. Closure of switch 34 causes a flow of current from source 51 to the winding of relay 61, by way of conductors 5B and 69. Energization of the relay winding, though only momentary, is sufiicient to move the bridging members 1| and 12 into their contact bridging positions, which bridging relationships continue by reason of the self-holding action of the relay, that is, the flow of current to the winding of the relay continues by way of conductors 13, 14, 15, and 69, and the now closed switches 1| and 15, forming part of this selfholding circuit of the relay.

As the switch 12 moves to its bridging position, current flows to solenoid 64, the current path being by way of conductor 13, switch 12, and conductor 11. Energization of solenoid 64 shifts valve 6| to the fluid discharging position,

thereby exhausting all pressure from cylinder I5. Exhaust of pressure from cylinder I5, while cylinder I4 remains under full line pressure, by reason of the connection of supply lines 54 and 5| therewith, permits rack 31 to move to the right, thus swinging sector gear 49 and lever 23 in a counter-clockwise direction, the drive from member 49 to member 23 being by way of clutch parts 3| and 32, now engaged, as the pin 46 is in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 5, being held in such position (see also Fig. 2) by the pressure of the fluid entering port 48 (from line 49, Fig. 1) and acting upon piston I6 of the spring motor I1.

The resulting counter-clockwise swing of lever 23 carries door II to the fully open position indicated by the dash line I2 in Fig. 1. As the door reaches this open position striker 10 engages switch and moves it to a current-interrupting position, compressing the spring 8| which normally maintains the switch 15 closed. This interruption of the self-holding circuits stops the flow of current to relay winding 61 and (allowing for a few seconds of delay, if the relay is of the delayed-return type) the switches 1| and 12 will now return to the circuit-open positions illustrated in Fig. 1. Flow of current to solenoid 64 is thus interrupted (at switch 12) and the valve 6| shifts back (because of its spring bias) to the fluid-feeding position. Pressure fluid, therefore, again enters the cylinder I5; and as the piston 39 is of greater area than piston 38, the resulting pressure differential will cause rack to move back to its extreme left position, that is, the position shown in Fig. 3.

This leftward shift of rack 31 will return door to the closed position (full lines, Fig. 1), in

which position it will remain until there is another occasion for it to be opened.

If for any emergency reason, the normally closed switch 58 were to be thrown to circuitopening position, or if there should be a failure of electric power at the source 51, the resultant de-energization of solenoid 56 will allow valve 53 to exhaust to the atmosphere all the fluid under pressure in the cylinders I4 and I5 of motor I3, as well as the fluid under pressure in cylinder I1 of the spring motor. Piston I6 of said spring motor will thereupon be urged, by spring 20, into the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position pin of link I9 will engage the forward end of the slot in link 2|, and pin 46 of link I9 will assume the relative position indicated in dash lines in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, in which position it no longer presses upon rocker 41, hence the clutch shifting spring (Figs. 5 and 6) is now eifective to shift the clutch part 3| to the disengaged position shown in Fig. 6; such shift causing the link 4| and rocker 41 to shift, also, into the positions indicated in Fig. 6. The door lever 23 is thus freed from the restraint of the parts of motor I3, and on the next opening of door I I (manually, in view of the removal of fluid pressure) the lever 23 will swivel freely on the outer (un-splined end of the shaft 34. However, on such opening swing, lever 23 will move link 2| along with it, thus carrying link I9 and piston I6 to the left of the positions indicated in Fig. 3, and into the positions shown in Fig. 2, in which latter positions the spring 20 is compressed, and therefore ready to produce an automatic re-closing of the door as soon as the latter is released by the person who opened it; the expanding spring 20 being effective to close the door by direct action on links I9 and 2|, and lever 23, independently of the now idle clutch part 3|.

The length of cylinder I1, in relation to the swing of lever 23, is such that the door is fully closed against the door jamb while piston I6 is still some slight distance short of contact with the cylinder end wall, hence there is continuing spring pressure acting upon the door, through the piston and linkage, so that any tendency of the door to vibrate away from its jamb position is constantly resisted by the spring 20. In other words the cylinder and linkage are so proportioned as to assure continuous spring pressure to hold the door firmly closed, when no air pressure is available for that purpose.

On the other hand, when air pressure is available, the door is held firmly closed by the pressure differential existing in favor of the larger piston 39. posely made not too great, so that a temporary halt of the door while closing (such as might result from an obstruction in the door way) will not permit the building up of an excessive closing pressure differential and therefore there will be no slamming tendency when the door resumes its closing movement, upon release of the obstruction.

It will be observed that clutch parts 3 I, 32 have only one angular position in which the tooth of part 32 will register with the notch in part 3|, hence the rack 31 and the lever 23 must be in correctly synchronized positions before meshing of the clutch parts can occur. This insures proper operation of the doors on each resumption of fluid power operation.

What I claim is:

1. Door operating means comprising a lever pivotally mounted for swinging in an arc, the free end of said lever being connected to the door to move the latter from a closed position to an open position as the lever swings through its arcuate However, this differential is purpath, a slotted link pivotally connected to said lever intermediate its ends, a first power unit including cylinder having a spring-biased piston therein, a piston rod attached to said piston, a control arm projecting from said rod, said control arm carrying an element movable along the slotted portion of said link in response to motion of said piston, a second power unit including a shaft and a clutch driven by said shaft, the driven element of said clutch being operatively connected to said lever to move it through said arcuate path, means operated by said control arm for holding said clutch engaged, so long as fluid pressure is acting upon said piston, and resilient means for disengaging said clutch upon release of said fluid pressure.

2. Door operating means comprising a lever pivotally mounted for swinging in an arc, the free end of said lever being connected to the door to move the latter from a closed position to an open position as the lever swings through its arcuate path, a first power unit including cyl inder having a spring-biased piston therein, a piston rod attached to said piston, a control arm projecting from said rod, a second power unit including a shaft and a clutch driven by said shaft, the driven element of said clutch being operatively connected to said lever to move it through said arcuate path, means operated by said control arm for holding said clutch engaged, so long as fluid pressure is acting upon said piston, and resilient means for disengaging said clutch upon release of said fluid pressure.

WILLIAM C. TURNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 899,795 Osmer Sept. 29, 1908 899,999 Osmer Sept. 29, 1908 1,000,784 Cumming Aug. 15, 1911 1,037,267 Knight Sept. 3, 1912 1,529,434 Hynes Mar. 10, 1925 1,651,959 Meyers Dec. 6, 1927 1,825,129 Rowntree Sept. 29, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,935,968 Winkelmann Nov. 21, 1933 2,365,742 Brooks Dec. 26, 1944 

